Locker latch



March 10, 1936. H. c. BAKER Er AL A LOCKER LATCH Filed April 6, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (Ittornegs March 10, 1936. H. c. BAKER ETAL LOCKER LATCH Filed April e', 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i attorneys Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES aoaasos PATENT OFFICE LocxER LATCH Application April 6, 1934, Serial No. 119,344

10 Claims. (Cl. 292-33) This invention relates to latch mechanism for lockers and the like such as illustrated in the patent to S. S. French No. 1,729,038, dated September 24, 1929, andmay be considered in the nature of an improvement on, or as an alternative form of latch construction with respect to that disclosed in said patent.

The principal object of the invention is to provide latch mechanism particularly adapted for doors of steel lockers which operates easily, quietly and smoothly and results in a relatively snug door closure and which at the same time is strong and rugged and easily assembled and disassembled and may be economically manufactured.

The latch assembly of the patent above noted embodies a channel-shaped latching bar which is formed with slots which engage the keeper hook when the locker door is closed. Since the bar is preferably formed of sheet metal, slam.-

ming or rough handling of the door has a tendency to mutilate and distort the metal adjacent the hook slots; and one of the features of the present invention is the provision of a latch assembly which overcomes this objection.

Another object of the invention is to provide latching mechanism for doors of steel lockers which will automatically effect easy and smooth latching of the door when the latter is closed or urged to closed position regardless of whether or not the door has been previously locked by a key oi" padlock or both and which will thereafter necessitate the use of the key to permit unlatching of the door.

The various objects and `advantageous features of the invention will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a locker having the present improved latch mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on vthe line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the latch bar and reinforcement which serves as a housing therefor taken substantially on the line 3 3, Fig. 1;

' Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4 4,

Fig. 3:

Fig.` 5 is a detail perspective view of the door handle;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the door and adjacent portions of 'the locker taken substantially on the line 6 6, Fig. 1;

Fig. 'l is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper extremity of the latch bar and the reinforcing housing therefor;

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the latch bar;

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the latch guides and a fragment of the latch bar adjacent thereto; 5

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line III I0, Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the locker includes a sheet metal `door frame 5 having a door 6 hinged thereon at 1. The door 6 is formed 10 at one of its side edges with a tubular reinforcement consisting of spaced box-flanges 8a and 8b each of which includes inner legs 9 and outer legs Iii, and an intervening connecting web II. The upper and lower extremities of the connect- 15 ing web II and portions of the legs 9 of the boxilanges are cut away to provide guideways or slots I2 and I3 and stops I2a and I3a, note particularly Fig. 3. The edge portion of the leg I0 of the box-ange 8b may be spot welded or other- 20 Wise secured to the rear face of the door as shown in Fig. 6. The tubular reinforcement (which serves as a housing and guide for the latch bar as will hereinafter appear) has extended over the top and bottom thereof cover flanges I4 and I5, 25 which are shaped from the metal of the door, the upper and lower extremities of the reinforcement or housing being cut away between the legs I0 to provide a recess I6 for a ller and cushioning block Ilia, whose function will be hereinafter 30 made apparent. At an intermediate portion, web Il is provided with a slot I1 which also extends through the door panel (note Fig. 10) to accommodate a finger lift bar 29, hereinafter referred to, and a hole or opening I8 to provide for at- 35 tachment of the door handle, said opening I8 also extending through the door panel.

The latching mechanism includes a channel or latch bar generally indicated at I9, the flanges I9a and I9b of which are formed at their oppo- 40 site extremities with laterally projecting wings 20, which have limited movement in the guideways I2 and I3 when the latch bar is assembled in its housing. The flanges ofthe channel or latch bar are also provided with spaced bosses 45 2| which facilitate vertical sliding movement of the` bar. The ange I9a of the channel bar is formed with a slot 22, which serves to receive the bolt of a key lock 23 to lock the channel bar against latch releasing movement, note Figs.- 1 50 and 2. The web I9c which connects the channels I9a and I9b of the bar I9 is formed with spaced slots 24 which accommodate latch hooks 25, each of the latter having a shank 25a of substantially U-shaped contour which is secured to 55 at its lower extremity to the latch guide 26, andl =guides a latch bolt 21 is the patentabove noted, the' latch hooks engage the metal adjacent `the slots formed in the channel or latch 1bar. 'I'he present construction differs inthat the latch or channel bar I9 has secured thereto a plurality of latch guides 26, which may be secured to said bar in any suitable manner. In the construction shown, they are formed with laterally-projecting ears or lugs 26a which are Welded to the side flanges I9a and' I9b of the bar I9, note Fig. 9. In each of these sliding movement,` note particularly Fig. 3. At its upper extremity, each of the latch bolts 21 is turned at right angles as at 21a and abuts against the top of the guide 26. A spring 28 is connected at its upper extremity to the outwardly projecting-abutm`ent portion or lug 21a ofV the latch bolt 21.

'It will be noted that when the latch or` chan-` nel bar is assembled in its housing, it has limited vertical movement bodily, while each of the latches or latch bolts 21 are permitted independent vertical movement against the tension of the springs 28, resulting in an advantage which will be hereinafter referred to.

The channel or latch bar has secured to an intermediate portion ythereof a combined finger lift and lock lug or bar 29 formed with a `hole or opening 30 for a padlock. The finger lift 29 is preferably provided with a boss or projection 29a adapted to engage in an anchor hole formed in the web I9c. of the bar I9. VThe sides o f `the lift bar 29 are grooved or recessed to permit the said bar to engage in the narrow guide portion of the slot I1, note Fig. l0. A transverse pin 29h serves to fix the finger bar 29 to the side walls I9a, I9b of the channel bar I9. Above the slot I1 a door handle, generally indicated at 32, is secured to the door panel. This handle is shown more or less in detail in Fig. 5, and its lower extremity is formed with a nger guard which is recessed as at 32a, in which recess the lift bar 29 has movement. The inner face of the handle 32 is formed with a boss.or projection 33 and a nected thereto and the latch bolts 2l inserted in the guides 26 and springs 28 connected to the latch bolts. When inserting the channeled lock or latch bar I9 in its housing, it may be held at an angle or incline and the wings 29 at the lower end of the bar inserted lin the recess I6 at the lower\end of the housing and the bar raised up and tipped forward to bring the upper wings into the upper recess I6, the lift 29 being inserted in the wide portion of slot I1 when the bar is moved into its housing.v The channel bar is then lowered untilthe lower end thereof abuts the lower cushioning block I Ba, the upper wings entering the slots I2. The latch hooks 25 may then be attached to the frame 5. When the channel bar I9 -is in assembled position, the wings 20 have limited travel in the guideways I2 mounted for vertical f At its lower end the latch bo1t 21 is tapered to provide a cam surfacewhich is adaptand I3, the cushioning blocks I 6a serving as bumpers for the upperand lower ends of the bar and ensuring a quiet action.

It will be noted that the improved latch mechanism will automatically latch when the door is pushed towards closed position, the tension of the springs 28 preferably being such as to permit the latch bolts 21 to slide vertically substantially independently of the channel bar when the said bolts engage the cam portion 25al of the hooks 25. In the event that the latch mechanism is locked by either or both the key lock 23 and padlock when the door is open, the door may be pushed ror slammed 'shut and become automatically locked in closed position. To open the door.

\it is only. necessary to grasp the trigger handle 32 andvlift bar 29 and slide the channel bar and latch bolts vertically clear of the latch hooks 25. 'I'he handle 32 has an lattractive appearance and conceals the lift bar 29 by the depending skirt at'the lower portion of the handle. The entire assembly may be economically manufactured and assembled. When it is required to lock the door of the locker the aperture 30 in the lift bar 29 is provided to accommodate the shackle or hasp of a padlock or any other suitable locking means which will prevent the lift bar 29 from being elevated to raised position.

It will be understood that certain minor changes and modifications in structure may be adopted within the scope of. the invention as dened by the appended claims.

We claim: f

l. In a locker door, a. reinforcement extending adjacent one edge of the door and shaped to provide a vertical guide housing, a manually operable latch bar mounted for vertical movement in said housing, latch bolt bar, and latch bolts slidably engaging said guides and movable longitudinally ofv the bar under spring tension.

2. In a locker door, a sheet metal reinforcement adjacent one edge of the door shaped to dene a longitudinally extending guide housing, a. manually operable substantially channel-shaped sheet metal latch bar mounted for longitudinal movement in said housing, latch bolt guide members secured along the length of said bar, latch bolts mounted for longitudinal movement along said guides, and spring means for normally urging the latch bolts towards latching position.

3. Latching and. lock mechanism for lockers guides secured to said having a door formed with a sheet metaly reinforcement adjacent one edge thereof shaped to define a longitudinally extending guide` housing, comprising a substantially channel-shapedA latch bar mounted for longitudinal movement in said housing, a series of latch bolts secured alongI the length of said bar and movable under spring tension into latching position independently of the bar, a lift bar connected to said latch bar andA projecting through a slot in the door whereby the latch bar may be vmoved vertically together with said bolts to unlatch` the door, a door handle formed with' a depending skirt portion having a recess therein into which the lift bar moves when the latch bar is raised to unlatching position and an undercut to provide clearance for l 2,083,808 substantially channel-shaped sheet metal latch bar mounted for longitudinal movement in said housing, a series of latch guides secured along the length of said bar,V latch bolts mounted for longitudinal movement along said guides independently ofthe latch bar and having their upper ends `formed with a stop to limit their downward movement along said guides, and springs connecting said bolts withthe guides for normally urging the bolts downwardly towards, latching position in said guides.

5. Ina sheet metal'-locker having cam surface latch hooks and having a door formed withv a longitudinally extending reinforcement and guide housing adjacent oneedge thereof, latching mechanism comprising a substantially channelshaped sheet metal latch bar mounted for longitudinal movement in said housing, latch bolt guides connected to thebar, latch bolts mounted for longitudinal movement along said guides, springs for normally urging saidA latch .bolts towards latching position, said bolts being disposed adjacent said latch hooks andrarranged to automatically move into latching position when -the door is closed, a door handle, and a linger lift bar connected to the latch bar and projecting through a slot in the door adjacent said handle Vim whereby the latch bar may be moved bodily vcar-- rying the bolts therewithI when it is desired to unlatch thedoor.

6. In a sheet metal locker having cam surface latch hooks and having a door with the metal *adjacent one edge thereof shaped to Ideiine a longitudinal reinforcement and guide housing, latching mechanism comprising a substantially channel-shaped latch bar mounted for' vertical movement in said housing, latchbolt guides connected to said bar, a lip on each guide bent outwardly 'therefrpm nach bolts mounted aiong the 1engtn of said bar and arranged to movevertically independentLv ofthe bar, a lip on each latch bolt bent outwardly therefrom, a spring intermediate V to.release the bolts and unlatch the door.

said lip on said bolt and said lip on said latch bolt guide for lnormally urging said bolts towards latching position, said bolts being disposed ad jacent said latch hooks and arranged to automatically latch when the door is closed, a handle 5 connected to said door,'and a lift member connected to said latch bar and projecting through\ a slot in said door -adjacent said handle to provide for bodily moving the latch bar vertically 7. In a locker, a door, a latch bar manually movable longitudinally along one edge of the door, latch bolt guides secured .to said bar, and latch bolts slidably engaging said guides and movable longitudinally of the bar under spring 1g tension. A

8. In a locker, a door, a latch bar manually movable longitudi ally along one edge ofv thje door, latch bolt es secured to said bar, and latch bolts slidably engaging said guides, the 20 bolts and bar'being movable manually in one direction longitudinally of said bar gand the bolts vbeing movable independent of the bar under spring tension in the opposite direction.

9. In a locker, a door, latch bar slidably mount- 25 ed along one edge of the door, latch bolt guides secured to the bar, and spring pressed latch bolts slidably engaging said guides, the bolts and bar being movable manually in one direction longitudinaum the bolts being movable independenuy of the bar under spring tension, a handle for the door and means for lifting the bar.

t HENRY C. BAKER.

ROBERT H. PETERSON. 

